Peter Vecsey Praises Knicks Improvement

via Hall of Famer Peter Vecsey of the NYPost.....

On the shady side of the Knicks' quasi-respectable 6-8 record, three ahead of last season's forgettable foray, they finally appear good enough to blame the coaching when Mike D'Antoni's hoist-and-hope, seven-seconds-or-less-to-a-turnover offense and/or felonious defense betray him and his unproven system on either NBA side of Steve Nash.

In countering that contention, D'Antoni advocates underscore how successful the young coach was in Italy, winning league titles year after year. What they expediently forget to mention is his teams habitually flaunted gobs more talent than rival peasants and paisans.

But that's not where I'm going with this today; there'll be plenty of debunking and teeth 'Nashing' opportunities later, I suspect. Hey, maybe as soon as the finale of the home-and-home matchup against Larry Brown's Bobcats that kicks off tonight at the Garden.

In the meantime, I've come to praise the Knicks, not bury them . . . or D'Antoni.

Granted, their bunny hop on the Pacific Rim came at the expense of Sacramento, (David Lee-less) Golden State and my Paper Clips, yet how many times have the Knicks surrendered to that exact same barnacle brethren?

Demean their California Dreamin' all you want; the fact is "that's who the Knicks played," column contributor Sam Lefkowitz dryly declares, "and they won all three" . . . in a row in the Golden State for the first time in franchise history.

Is there still time to add a float to the Thanksgiving Day parade?

So what if all six Knicks' victims finished below the equator last season? The Knicks are looking more like a team of late because they're playing more as a team, at least on offense where the wealth (six players in double figure scoring) is being spread.

Amar'e Stoudemire (averaging 23.1 points) is on target to become the second player -- Dirk Nowitzki was first -- to get over his breakup with Nash, but he has been far from a gang of one. Not having to lift 16 tons every night on a nightly basis may be the reason he has spare get-up-and-go to hit the boards harder (8.5 rebounds), including three straight with 10 or one more, twice. Or he may just be doing what he should have been doing all along.

I hate to disrupt such a positive piece by bringing up the ghastly past, but Stoudemire bagged four rebounds in each of the Suns' last two playoff games against the Lakers in 2010 . . . both losses.

Moving right alone, again, I realize Stoudemire's road-trip expense account was bloated (39 & 11 vs. the now 2-13 Clippers after last night's 99-95 upset of New Orleans) against a bunch of delinquent defenders, but, as Amar'e noted, Chanukah is right around the corner and we take gifts when we can.

Meanwhile, a week ago, the never-prone-to-panic media and fans were counting down to Dec. 15; that's the first day free-agent signees are allowed to be traded, and the chanting already had begun to swap Raymond Felton for Nash.

People have the misconception, if he were all that and a bag of chips, Next Town Brown never would've let Felton sign elsewhere. Well, he did want him back, but owner Michael Jordan's purse strings played a different tune.

So, here we are, four games, 90 points and 32 assists later, and Felton abruptly is changing that perception. The multi-purpose maker of plays (19.9 points, 7.6 assists, 2.0 steals) has given the Knicks a consistent presence for the first time since Edmund Sherod.

There, I said it.

And I'm not the only one. This just in from column contributor Michael Catarevas: "The Jan. 30 Knicks game at MSG will include a halftime video tribute commemorating the 28th anniversary of Sherod's 11-point, four-assist game against the K.C. Kings. Tickets are going fast."

But wait, there's more. Danilo Gallinari went from long-distance dry-heaving to learning to love contact (42 of 44 from the welfare line).

"He has come to realize he is a 90-percent free-throw shooter, which is Mark Price country, Larry Bird country, Kevin Durant country," gushes column contributor Chip Stern. "Instead of forcing jumpers early, trying to create an artificial adrenaline buzz, get to the line instead and gather yourself, get some easy points, catch your breath, get a game focus and adjust your trajectory. Suddenly it's the fourth quarter and those three are not chucks, but good shots."

That brings us to Landry Fields, whom coach Herb Sendek fell in love with during Arizona State's battles with Stanford, and likens to a rising Brandon Roy, or did he say Sun Devil soph Trent Lockett? Against the Nuggets, the Knicks' lone loss on the jaunt, he went for 21 points and 17 rebounds, and is averaging 10.4 while shooting better than 55 percent.

Not to be overlooked by a long shot is Ronny Turiaf's overall contribution -- seven rebounds vs. Sacramento, eight assists vs. L.A., blocked shots, hustle and muscle. I told the frizzy-haired Frenchman Game 1 at the Garden he belonged in the starting lineup to protect and complement Stoudemire, and he continues to do the sort of jobs Americans just won't do.

I'm even giving big ups today to Toney Douglas (11.1 points) despite his often flagrant inaccuracy from afar (21-69; 30 percent) and Wilson Chandler (double figures in every game, 5.6 rebounds and 2.21 snuffs) despite a penchant for bad shots and dumb fouls.

During their run, the Knicks also have made more judicious use of the bonus ball, going a combined 27-62 (43.5 pct.) as opposed to a heinous 38-147 (25.9 pct.) during the six-game mudslide that came before.

In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, if the season ended today, the Knicks would be seventh.

Of course, every party has a pooper and that's why we invited column contributor Philllip Marmanillo to weigh in: "Just curious, but what happens to D'Antoni if Gallo, Chandler and Felton all have career years and the Knicks still fail to play .500 ball?"

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/reasons_to_hope_3qtaGK3A2w0HPAwsVF29PK#ixzz167Xc2SP7

Knicks in Denver Tonight @ 9PM

Starting Lineups

New York (3-7)

PG- Raymond Felton

SG- Landry Fields

SF- Danilo Gallinari

PF- Amar’e Stoudemire

C- Timofey Mozgov

Denver (5-5)

PG- Billups

SG-Afflalo

SF- Anthony

PF- Williams

C- Nene

KnicksGM: Charles Oakley On WFAN- Knicks’ Donnie Walsh Walsh...

KnicksGM: Charles Oakley On WFAN- Knicks’ Donnie Walsh Walsh...: "Charles Oakley On WFAN- Knicks’ Donnie Walsh Walsh Owes Me An Apology by KnicksGM"

Do Knick Fans Actually Agree With Marbury?

I do.....this is via Nypost.com

"It's just a matter of time,'' Marbury said. "That's all I got to stay about D'Antoni's situation. I don't pay attention to his coaching. It hasn't changed since he won 50 games or since all the how many games he's lost here. If he had different pieces, he's a very effective coach. But without any players that play with the realm of how he coaches the game, it will never be."

"It's a matter of time,'' Marbury added. "It's a countdown now. He put a countdown on his head. Now (the fans) know we're never going to win a championship like this.''

In D'Antoni's first major act as head coach two years ago, he banished Marbury, who had reported to training camp in the best shape of his career. But when the Knicks needed Marbury to play in Detroit after their trades in late November of that season, he declined D'Antoni's offer and fans have not forgiven him.

'He doesn’t teach defense,'' Marbury said. "He teaches offense. (Jeff) Van Gundy teaches defense. (The D'Antoni system) doesn't work in New York. Not in the East. You have to have a team that dives for balls and takes the 3 when nobody expects you to take the 3. You have to be inside the fans' minds and that's what they want. There's knowledgeable people in the arena. They're talking to you while you're shooting a jump shot.''

D'Antoni declined comment at the Knicks' Tuesday morning shootaround in Denver.

Marbury wonders if Carmelo Anthony and other stars actually would want to play in D'Antoni's system.

"If you're trying to make money, play for D'Antoni,'' Marbury said. "If he likes you, he'll get you your shot from down yonder and let you shoot from the hashmark line and nobody will say nothing."

But why would a superstar go with that system who really wants to win a championship and not about making no bread. Some stars may like that, knowing nobody's going to say anything and question that shot.''

Marbury played with Amar'e Stoudemire in Phoenix seven years ago. Stoudemire has also gone off on his teammates for not caring enough about winning.

"Amare likes to win,'' Marbury said. "He's not a loser. Nobody explained to him about New York. They don't win, the finger will get pointed at him. First, it's going to be about the money. He wants to win. Him being frustrated and speaking out, it's not surprising to me.''

Marbury had a going-away party Sunday but still found time to catch their loss to the Rockets.

"I just have one question for all Knick fans,'' Marbury asked. "When am I going to get blamed for this? I'm still a Knick fan even after what they did to me.''

Twitter Update Game Thread

Follow NYKnicksbeat on twitter for live game updates and analysis tonight vs the Timberwolves.

You can find me @ http://twitter.com/#!/NyKnicksbeat

Go Knicks!

Carmelo Confirms Wedding Toast

Via nypost.com...

Mark Hale and Marc Berman reported that the infamous toast made by Chris Paul at Camelo's wedding was in fact made.

"Everybody was having fun. The Miami Heat was the hot topic at that point. There were a lot of players. They were just laughing and joking about it. It is what it is."

When asked about his upcoming game at MSG in December he said, "I expect that to be a zoo."

Melo also said that his Denver extension offer is still on the table and remains an option for him.

Elbow From David Lee, Chandler Loses Tooth

No Panic Button Here, But Knicks are Heartless

I didn't understand inserting Raymond Felton back into the game with 3:11 left in the fourth after completely erasing a 19 point warrior lead. Felton was in fact the main culprit of the sloppy play and turnovers. Toney Douglas's full court pesky defense was giving Curry fits and really disrupting the warrior attack and on offense, he was getting people the ball, particularly Amar'e. Landry Fields and Toney are the two smartest and best defenders on the team. If I know it, why doesn't coach know it? Or at least act as if he knows it. Games like tonight, should be finished with both of them in the backcourt at the same time.

A bigger problem than coach's lack of defensive recognition was the heartless effort the Knicks have put forth the last two nights. Last night was a complete joke, while tonight, they at least fought back. The Knicks could not get stops and were consistently beaten back door and on drives for open lay ups. Many of the warrior baskets came while the shot clock was in it's waning seconds.

Stoudemire's stat line will look impressive, however watching him play these first eight games has been disappointing. He can't go left; the league knows this. His shot selection is terrible; he settles for jumper after jumper if the right hand is taken away from him. His inability to make these adjustments has caused his turnover average to balloon to almost five per game. Tonight, Amar'e could have gotten into the lane and finished any time he wanted to. On occasion, he did but not enough. He also appeared gassed in the fourth quarter which is an alarming sign eight games into November.

I don't have the stats in front of me right now and I don't need them. David Lee out played the Knicks and enjoyed every second of it, loud and proud. His and-1 on Amar'e was a clear dig at the Knicks forward and it even drew a shoo-away hand gesture from Stoudemire.

This was a bad loss and I don't know how this team will respond. The team is now at a point where this past summer's moves will be put into question heavily by the media as to whether or not they made the team better or worse. With Davis Lee's team sitting at 6-2 after a win at the Garden tonight, you can't help bit start to wonder.

David Lee Returns, Knicks Looking for a Victory

via ESPN.com

After picking up their first road win of the season, David Lee and the Golden State Warriors face another tough challenge. And they might have to do so without their leading scorer.

Lee plays his first game in New York since being dealt by the Knicks on Wednesday night as the Warriors continue their road trip.

Lee had 14 points and 12 rebounds Monday in a 109-102 victory at Toronto. He has posted a double-double in each of Golden State's five victories.

"More than anything we needed a road victory and needed to play well on the road," said Lee, who was dealt to the Warriors the same day the Knicks signed Amar'e Stoudemire in a sign-and-trade from Phoenix. "I know that I needed to bring a lot of energy tonight to lead us, lead us emotionally on the road."

Lee averaged double-doubles in three of his five seasons with the Knicks (3-4), becoming a fan favorite, and scored a career-high 20.2 points per game in 2009-10.

Monday's win may have come at a cost for the Warriors, though. Monta Ellis, who leads the NBA in scoring at 27.9 points per game, suffered a strained back late in the fourth quarter after scoring 28.

The X-rays on Ellis' back came back negative, but his status is uncertain. Golden State is 5-1 versus the Knicks when Ellis plays.

The Warriors are tied for 25th in the NBA with 101 road wins since the 2002-03 season and haven't won back-to-back road games since beating Sacramento and Utah on April 5 and 11, 2009.

Stephen Curry, who scored a season-high 34 points Monday, likely will have to step up again if Ellis can't play. He had been wearing a brace on his injured right ankle but decided to remove it early on against the Raptors.

"It feels freer, I think," Curry said. "My ankle is in good shape right now but the brace is a little too restrictive. I'm getting rid of it and going with the heavy tape job."

In spite of its struggles on the road, Golden State has won five of eight at New York.

The Knicks (3-4) are hoping to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season after falling in Milwaukee 107-80 on Tuesday night.

New York was outscored 41-19 in the first quarter, and coach Mike D'Antoni knows that the team can't afford to come out with that kind of effort again.

"It was one of those nights. They got into us about midway through the first quarter and took us completely out of the game," he said.

Stoudemire scored 19 points and matched a season low with four rebounds against the Bucks, but should bounce back Wednesday night.

With Phoenix, Stoudemire averaged 21.4 points and 9.3 rebounds against the Warriors, and scored 37 points on 12-of-15 shooting in his last game against them March 22.

Anthony Randolph -- acquired from the Warriors in the Lee deal -- has been hindered early by an ankle injury, but scored eight points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds in Tuesday night's loss.

Randolph averaged 11.6 points in 33 games for Golden State last season.

MSG 3Q Earnings Double $$$

via cnbc.com

Madison Square Garden Inc.'s third-quarter net income nearly doubled as revenue rose in its media, sports and entertainment divisions, easily beating Wall Street's view.

The company's shares climbed 95 cents, or 4.5 percent, to $21.94 in Friday morning trading. Over the last year, the stock has traded between $16.35 and $23.04.

Madison Square Garden's namesake building is set to reopen Friday night for the New York Knicks' game against Washington after an asbestos scare that forced the postponement of a game Tuesday night. Debris dislodged during a cleanup of an attic space triggered two air quality detectors, but subsequent testing revealed that the particles did not contain asbestos.

The company also owns the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers and other professional sports teams. Its entertainment division produces shows at numerous major East Coast venues, and its media business operates sports and music television networks.

Madison Square Garden's net income surged to $19.3 million, or 25 cents per share, compared with $10.1 million, or 14 cents per share, a year earlier.

Revenue for the three months that ended Sept. 30 rose 18 percent to $190.8 million from $161.8 million.

Analysts on average expected earnings of just 15 cents per share on $175.9 million in revenue, according to Thomson Reuters. Analysts typically exclude one-time items.


Thanks to KnicksGM.com for this info...check out his site

David Lee A Fan Favorite?

I guess not many people are too interested i seeing the comeback video of David Lee tomorrow night. My friends at TiqIQ show us that tomorrow's game is in fact the cheapest game on an average per ticket.

NBA Store Being Evicted

via CNBC.com....by Darren Rovell

For 12 years, the NBA Store in Manhattan has had prime real estate on Fifth Avenue, but now sources tell CNBC that it’s the value of the real estate that has led the league to not renew its lease.

Sal LaRocca, the NBA's executive vice president of global merchandising, acknowledged that the store would close in late February and the league is currently looking for a new location in New York City.

One source told CNBC that the leasing agent for the space, Cushman & Wakefield,was asking for at least five times the amount for a yearly lease as the NBA currently pays for its 35,000 square feet (only 16,000 square feet is actually retail space)

The reason?

Prices were thrown out of whack when Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo agreed in April to pay a reported record $300 million over 15 years to lease a space in the same building as the league’s store.

LaRocca told CNBC that he's currently looking at pop-up store locations, places that can be rented by the month instead of the year, so that the league can bridge the gap between having a new permanent location and when the current NBA store closes.

LaRocca emphasized that the moving of the store had nothing to do with NBA merchandise sales. In fact, after record merchandise sales last year, LaRocca said sales are up 25 percent this year.

When the new store opens, it will be run by adidas, which runs thousands of stores throughout the world and some in New York City. The current product mix in the store of roughly 65 percent adidas items is expected to continue. The league will control the lease.

The point of the NBA leasing the space in 1998 was to serve as a retail outlet, but also to serve as an advertisement for the league among the city’s ritziest shopping areas.

Hollinger's Power Rankings Have Knicks 14th

Heat number 1?

Really?

http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/powerrankings

Carmelo Feels NY Love, Harrignton Hates Losing it

In a recent article in the Daily News, Carmelo Anthony made it clear that he knows, New York City wants him here.

"It feels good to know that a city like that wants me,"

"They know my background. They know I was born there. The fact that it was home for me, a lot of people take that into account when they talk about my future."

While Carmelo seemed to enjoy the lust NY has for him, a former Knick, of course, tried to water it down.

"I know New York and the fans always want someone else's best player," said Al Harrington, the former Knick who signed with Denver last summer. "But I think he stays. He'll realize where he needs to be. I told him to stay. That's my hope ... my prayer."

Are you surprised? I'm not. Al Harrington has left every single team he has played for with some sort of bitterness. Harrington was a good Knick, but never reached his full potential anywhere he played due to a constant raw game. While extremely talented, Harrington never learned the fundamentals of the game that would have extended his career length and effectiveness.

Poor footwork down-low and an inconsistent jump shot and shot selection plagued the Knicks and Harrington. Many times last year, Harrington would halt ball movement, much to the dismay of head coach Mike D'Antoni. One thing Al did do, was embrace New York. Being from New Jersey, the bright lights came naturally to him and he was able to perform. Knowing this, Harrington probably thought he was entitled to a big contract offer from the Knicks, something that was never made. During an interview with Knicks media at the Las Vegas Summer League, Harrington griped that the Knicks never made him an offer and that he was surprised by that.

Even as a Knick, Harrington was slightly bitter about the Knicks' cap-cl;early plans, most likely because he knew he would not be a part of it. In numerous interviews Harrington said that he did not believe LeBron would or should, come to New York.

The Knicks will see some old faces these next ten days, tomorrow David Lee and Golden State at the garden and next Tuesday they will see "you can call me Al" Harrington in Denver. It's water under the bridge now and no Knick fan is worried about getting rid of Al Harrington ever becoming a mistake.

Bottom line is, yes we do want 'Melo here and he is twice the talent that Al Harrington is. Therefore, we can only hope that Carmelo is smart enough not to take the advice he may give.

What's with all these former Knicks poisoning future free agents? Hmmmmmm......

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2010/11/09/2010-11-09_carmelo_can_feel_love_of_new_york.html?r=sports%2Fbasketball%2Fknicks&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fsports%2Fbasketball%2Fknicks+%28Sports%2FBasketball%2FKnicks%29&utm_content=Twitter#ixzz14ncuq1eP

LeBron Gets Punked By Cleveland Fans

Not Wanted: 7th Avenue Squad

Despite the aggravating loss to the Sixers, there seems to be a good feeling back at the Garden. Ticket sales are up, making the Knicks a hot ticket once again and all seems well. I do however have one small issue. recently i've been feeling like I am either at a summer carnival or a Nets game with these t-shirt throwing machines and 18 year old kids who should work at discovery zone running around the arena telling me to chant 'De-fense.' I don't need this. We don't need this! We authenticate our own chants, we decide when to get loud, we don't need cheerleaders. We don't need extra giveaways in order for us to come see our favorite basketball team.

Do I sound cold and heartless, perhaps, so lets find another way for these kids to make there $40 per game but takeaway there Knicks track suits and overly enthusiastic tactics. It's just not New York. How about the Garden opens a day care center and they are in charge of watching children while adults enjoy the games? Never Happen. I know. I am just simply tired of this new age wacky gimmick stuff that arenas and now the Garden have bought into.

We used to not need an announcement telling us that the Knicks were taking the floor for warm ups; I used to be in my seat with 18 minutes left to warm up along with the other 4-6 thousand other fanatics just so we could hear the Knicks take the floor to our favorite rap songs. Booing the other team coming out of the tunnel was so vintage and one of my favorite things to do at games.

Don't ruin the essence of being at the game by smashing our faces with it. It's not a carnival, its a church where basketball is played 41 times a year. We were loyal enough to wait through a horrid rebuilding process, and we will will continue our loyalty without the Garden making games seem like street fairs. No more 7th Avenue Squad, get them gigs at community college games in Westchester. Thanks for listening.

Knicks vs Sixers With Some Interesting Connections

The Knicks look for win number 3 in a row and their fourth of the season today at the Garden. Here are some interesting connections between the two teams over the years:

Wilson Chandler and 76ers forward Thaddeus Young were teammates for the Sophomore team during the 2009 Rookie Challenge.

Andy Rautins father Leo was selected by Philadelphia in the first round (17th overall) of 1983 NBA Draft, becoming first ever Canadian drafted in the NBA.

Mike D’Antoni served as the Denver Nuggets Director of Player Personnel during the 1997-1998 season where 76er’s forward/center Tony Battie was a rookie.

Eddy Curry was teammates with 76er’s forward Andres Nocioni in Chicago during the 2004-05 season.

Roger Mason played with 76ers forward Darius Songaila for the Washington Wizards for two seasons (2006-2008).

Kelenna Azubuike and 76er’s guard Louis Williams played together in the NBDL for the Fort Worth Flyers during the 2005-2006 season.

76ers assistant coach Michael Curry played for the Indiana Pacers during the 2004-2005 season when Donnie Walsh was CEO/President of Pacers Sports and Entertainment. Curry also teamed with Roger Mason for the Toronto Raptors during the 2003-04 season.

76ers assistant coach Aaron McKie played alongside Ronny Turiaf for the Los Angeles Lakers for two season from 2005-2007.

Jared Zwerling's Clyde frazier Interview Part II

"Clyde is the only player I've ever seen I would describe as an artist, who takes an artistic approach to the game." -- former Knick Bill Bradley.

After Clyde and I talked about the Knicks' upcoming season, our conversation turned to the evolution of the game from when he played in the 60s and 70s until now, and it started with the new technical foul rule. Here's Clyde's approach as MSG Network's color analyst.

I have to wonder when Timofey Mozgov’s been T'd up, what he is saying to the ref? You're right there front and center to the action. Is he cursing in Russian?
We say he should protest because he’s just saying, "What did I say" (laughs)? That [new technical foul] rule I don’t like, man. I haven’t met too many people who like that rule because you can’t take away the emotion of players. I think hopefully they remedy that soon, but right now it seems like the players are the ones who have to make the adjustment.

I’m 100% with you, especially after what we saw in that Knicks-Celtics preseason game. It got out of hand.
Yeah, there’s going to be a riot in a game (laughs). A team will have a game won and then all of a sudden, a guy gets a call like that and it changes the game. People are going to go berserk, man. They’ve got to do something. I mean, I think the complaining was out of control as well, so they have to find a happy medium there, where the players and the officials are happy and there’s harmony with them. Right now, there’s hostility between the two.

I agree sometimes there’s too much complaining, but I think the rule sucks the emotion out of the game. You want to see some toughness and trash talking -- that’s part of the culture of basketball, which starts on the playgrounds.
Yeah, they’re going to make all the guys like Walt Frazier, with no emotion (laughs).

Speaking to the rule change, what are some of the biggest differences in the game today versus when you played in the 60s and 70s?
Well, the biggest thing is the hand checking, man. When we came into the league, guys could literally push you around the court, and there were no fouls. Once they took that out, that gave better continuity to the game because it had become pretty physical and stagnant. So now you see better movement. Also, taking away the zone defense because everyone wanted to see the NBA guys shaking and baking one-on-one -- all the moves that they displayed rather than the zone kind of taking that away at times. [While the NBA currently permits the use of zones, teams generally don’t use them.]

Michael Jordan said recently that he could score 100 points in today’s game because it’s less physical and the rules have changed. Do you think he and other former greats would be able to score more?
Oh yeah. I think you’d have to add three or four points to their scoring. Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Earl "The Pearl." It’s interesting, when I talked to Dick Barnett, he said when he came in during the 50s, you could put two hands on the guy (laughs). You could literally mug them. When I came in, it was just the one hand and now there’s no hands. That’s a tremendous difference. The other thing is these players are much taller, faster and stronger. All these guys can dunk the ball and they can all jump out of the gym. It’s just amazing. I played the game and I’m still amazed some nights to see what these guys can do on the court.

Is there one player today who really impresses you for his trickery on the court, as far as being able to get open and score off the dribble?
Yeah, I think some of the point guards -- Deron Williams and Chris Paul. These guys are very sagacious in their style of play. They have creativity. Steve Nash, the same thing. Amare got three or four dunks a game from Nash, just uncontested. Those guys, to me, are old-school players. Brandon Roy, they compare his game to my game, where he’s got the midrange, he’ll back you in. Andre Miller is a similar guy and he’ll back you in. They have kind of an old-school game, which is very effective. Miller is not that quick, he’s not that fast, but he’s creative. You also have to mention Paul Pierce in that category, where he’s not that quick, he’s not an exceptional leaper, but he always gets to where he wants to go and he hurts you.

From the commentating side, are there any new catch phrases or nicknames you're looking to introduce this year?
Well, we’ve only played a few, but I’ve got to get some kind of nickname for Fields. Amare, well they call him STAT, so I’ve got to say, "STAT to the rack." I’ve got to get something jazzy to go along with that.

Knicks fans are a very vocal and passionate bunch. Ever pick up anything from them?
I like talking to the fans, man. That’s always been my rapport -- even as a player. Sometimes I actually learn something about the game talking to the fans. They might ask me something and I’ll go, "Wow, I never thought of it." When I first started, the fans kind of forced me to improve because I had been away from the game and I was saying "fastbreak" and they were saying "transition." And I was saying "passing" and they were saying "dishing." The average Knicks fan would be saying "continuity," "versatility," and I was like, "Wait a minute, man, that’s the way I should sound." That’s why I work diligently on my words and deliver and all of that, because that’s how the fans were talking. I was like, "If I’m going to do this then I’ve got to try to really do it." We have the most knowledgeable crowd in the world’s most famous arena.

Outside commentating, what do you enjoy doing? Are you a big golf fan?
I’m the only guy who I know who’s not hooked on golf, man (laughs). All these other guys -- Starks, Herb, you name it -- they are all enthralled with golf. I still go to the gym. I like lifting weights. Every other day, I’m in the gym working on chest, back, arms and that type of thing. I’m still Clyde in order to look good in my suit. I’ve got to keep the weight off and watch my diet.

Do you still hoop today?
Nah, I rarely play, but come September, man, my palms always get itchy (laughs). I always want to go out and do shooting, so the urge is still there.

Would you ever want to participate in the Shooting Stars contest during All-Star Weekend as the legend on the Knicks team?
Yeah, I would probably think about that. That’s fun.

Give me a great Knicks story.
Well, my story is about Willis Reed, the captain. He was the backbone of our team. He was the guy who kept everybody in line. My thing was, we personified team because you can’t mention Frazier without Bradley without Reed without DeBusschere without Barnett. That’s how we captivated this city. Black and white, working together unselfishly. Our mantra was "hit the open man" -- always looking for that open man, and defense. That was the catalyst that spurred us on to greatness and the championships. Those are my fond memories. When people think of that team, that’s what they think about -- "Oh man, your defense, you guys were the smartest guys to play the game, your teamwork." That’s how we’ll be remembered, forever.

From when you played in the 60s and 70s to the teams in the 90s, I think the Knicks now have the right group of guys to set things in motion.
Yeah, the characters are there, too. These guys like each other, they work hard, so management is very happy with the team that they’ve assembled right now. Now they just have to handle that New York pressure, man (laughs). Big expectations.

Jared Zwerling from ESPN.com

Walt "Clyde" Frazier Interview by Jared Zwerling

Jared has been good to NY Knicks Beat and he did an even better job in his recent two-part interview with 'the living legend', Walt frazier. Here is part I

Hall of Famer Walt Frazier recognizes how special his connection is to the Knicks, who's now in his 22nd season as the team's broadcast analyst on MSG Network. In anticipation of the Knicks' third annual Legends Night, honoring former players, Frazier said, "It says a lot about a franchise that honors and recognizes those that helped build it. Legends Night is so special to each player and you can see it in their faces -- it's like a family reunion. The amount of recognition each player gets from the fans is unique to this city -- it's a New York thing" (NYKnicks.com). We thought we'd recognize Frazier in our own right by giving him the Knicks Blog floor to commentate -- in other words, to swoop and hoop -- on the Knicks season. Here's how he bounded and astounded us.

George Kalinsky/MSG Photos
Stylin' and profilin'.

How are you feeling about this season?
I’m excited. We’ve got some more athleticism, more versatility, so everybody’s looking forward to a good season.

The Knicks are going through a tough stretch right now, having lost to the Celtics and Blazers already. Obviously the Magic game was postponed, but now they’re in Chicago. What have been some of the positives you've seen so far?
Well, I think they’re playing D’Antoni’s style -- they’re running, Felton has been very aggressive getting into the paint. This kid Fields has astounded everyone, man. Mozgov, also -- he’s a good shot blocker. Randolph’s been injured, so he probably could have helped some with Gallinari struggling. The Knicks can’t wait until he gets back. He’s a big guy with a lot of upside. I think Amare has been everything as advertised. He’s been solid, a good go-to guy.

Amare is the Knicks’ best centerpiece since Patrick Ewing. What has struck you about him as a leader?
His work ethic is unbelievable. The guy extends so much energy before the game. I’m like, "Save some of it, man." He likes to go out and shoot and shoot. He leads by example, man. He’s the first one there and the last to leave in practice, so guys have to respect him and try to keep up with him. He’s also a better perimeter shooter than I thought he was. He has a little midrange jumper. He seems like he’s worked diligently to improve on that particular shot.

Since you’re the epitome of “cool,” you must admire Amare’s sense of style -- even him getting the personal invite from the most powerful person in fashion, Anna Wintour, to attend New York Fashion Week.
Yeah, but he dresses different from me (laughs). He’s more conservative; he likes a different cut. His body is incredible, man. I think the guy must have a 32-inch waist, and he’s 6’10”. He dresses more, I guess you’d call it, Italian tight fit wear. He looks good in his clothes.

Has he come up to you for any style pointers?
Nah, but I’ve seen him checking me out (laughs). Sometimes he says, "Hey Clyde, nice suit." He pretty much I think has his own repertoire of what he wants to do, and he seems to relish being in New York, man. Like this town, as we know it, is not for everybody. Everybody can’t handle the publicity here, the pressure, but he seems excited. I think Felton is like that as well.

Obviously Amare doesn’t have All-Star Steve Nash to set him up, so there’s more weight on his shoulders to carry the offense. How do you think he’s adjusted to being more self-reliant in creating scoring opportunities for himself, especially against the zone?
He’s trying to make that transition because if you watched the previous games, what teams are going to do is go into a zone down the stretch to eliminate his ability to create off the dribble. He’s usually faster and quicker than the guys who are guarding him. That’s going to negate that and force him to the perimeter, so the zone I thought worked pretty affectedly the last time against him.

How do you think Amare and Raymond have worked off the pick-and-roll together?
They’re developing a nice rapport. Felton is starting to look for him. Also, Stoudemire has been impressive with his passing. He reciprocates a lot of times hitting the guards when they come off the screen. Mozgov is a good passer, too.

You mentioned Fields earlier. It’s been pretty impressive to see him not only develop so quickly, but even start.
Yeah, well, we’ve had to really scrutinize because we didn’t have any first-rounders. [The Knicks' front office] has done an excellent job knowing what’s available out there and getting tangible results.

Did you get a chance to see Fields play at the Vegas summer league?
Yeah, I did. I was impressed. I thought he could score. I like his feet, man. He has very quick feet. What I’ve noticed now is he’s an excellent rebounder. His timing is exquisite. He anticipates well when the rebounds are coming. He’s also a good leaper and he can score. He runs well. He’s unflappable out there and doesn’t show much emotion -- just gets the job done. He’s for real. I don’t think this kid is going to fade. He does everything well and he will only continue to get better. How many guys come in right away and start as rookies? It’s like one percent. I told him, "I couldn’t even remember my name the first game I played."

Randolph will be making his season debut tonight. What will he bring to the team?
Another shot blocker, man. Can you believe the Knicks are averaging 8.3 blocks a game right now (laughs)? Last season, they were tied for worst in the league -- 3.7 a game. Randolph is another guy who runs the floor well. He’s 6’11”, the third tallest player on the team. He’s going to be a difficult matchup for the opposition because he’s coming off the bench. He’s playing against second-line players, so he can almost be a starter. The problem is he’s raw, man. He left college early, last season he missed a lot of games, so he lacks gametime experience because of the injuries. I think once he achieves that, the Knicks feel that he can be an All-Star player.

I wrote in an earlier post about how Randolph and Stoudemire could eventually be one of the league’s toughest big-man duos to match up with, considering their athleticism, around-the-basket game and ball-handling. In fact, they both have the ability to dribble up the court.
Yeah, that’s what I mentioned -- their versatility. Fields can also bring it up. [In previous seasons], the Knicks had guys who were similar players. They could only play one position, but now look at Chandler. He can play the 2, 3, 4. They’re moving him around. Randolph is similar, Amare is similar to that. Fields can play the 2 and the 3. So there’s a lot of versatility there.

So far the Knicks have had a pretty balanced scoring attack, from the first five to the bench. Do you think that can work to their advantage all season, or do you think they’ll need another consistent 20-point scorer to complement Stoudemire, especially against the league’s top teams?
Definitely a balanced attack. I think Chandler’s capable of being a 20-point scorer, Gallinari too. I mean, we were looking for him to have a breakout season. Then with the other guys, Toney Douglas coming off the bench is another good shooter and he can score. Walker at times. So I think it’s imperative that those guys be consistent because as we saw in the last game against Portland, when they went into that zone, the Knicks went a long time without scoring. This is what happened last year. They were going through these scoring droughts and they fell behind by double digits. So it’s imperative that somebody comes off the bench with a hot hand, who can be a zone buster and get them going.

With Kelenna Azubuike and Eddy Curry coming back soon, how do you see the rotations possibly changing? Before the season, I actually thought Azubuike, if he was healthy, could have been the starting shooting guard.
Yeah, plus he’s a bona fide two. That’s his position, and he can score. He’s a big, strong guy. I like his game. But, as you mentioned, he’s not really working out too diligently, so his status is kind of up in the air. As far as Curry, I think he’s looking to come back. He definitely can help us. He’s a guy who requires double-teaming when he’s on the low post. That should help the Knicks’ perimeter shooters get some uncontested shots.

The interview will continue with Parts 2 and 3, where Clyde and I discuss the evolution of the NBA game, the updated version of his 1974 book, "Rockin' Steady," and his flamboyant fashion wardrobe, which consists of much more than just colorful three-piece suits. Stay tuned.

Jared Zwerling of ESPN.com